(en) France, Alternative Libertaire AL #226 - Industrial restructuring: Changing Lives! (fr)

If we can understand that the defense of employment is the first battle to be fought 
against the employers and the state, behind, there is also the issue of redistribution of 
wealth and that of industrial restructuring. ---- Claim history of unionism social 
transformation brought by Solidarity and yet a part of the CGT, industrial conversion can 
question both the way we produce what we produce. They are often well-employee unions and 
are involved in these battles that are the most "visionary" them / they know more 
production tool and see longer term, putting aside the aspect of "profits" . This is often 
due to union work performed for several years as alternatives to redundancy have been 
proposed. The few existing measures in terms of anticipation and management planning of 
employment protection is largely insufficient.

Could - if you wanted to schematize - see two possibilities for industrial redeployment 
without necessarily making them distinct. The first is often related to issues of 
dangerousness production and the direct consequences that are not necessarily related that 
"the final product" is harmful to the environment or social utility.

Purpose and method of production

It is the possibility of reduced risk for employees who work there-es, replacing some 
components manufacturing by others. This is an opportunity to revive the debate on methods 
of work organization detrimental to the employee-es and impose a more comprehensive view 
of what is meant by the work itself.

Other side of the industrial conversion, it is the transformation or production on the 
final product. Two examples can be iconic. The first concerns the automotive sector, but 
also its industry on which there is much to discuss: the social utility of the car in 
traffic patterns - which is in itself a public debate on the shared use cars, public 
transport, distance work, home, etc.. It is also based on simple questions that employees 
and users must successfully bring together, as the replacement of the current model with 
non-polluting cars, instead of the rail freight industry.

Industrial conversion is not green capitalism

Another example of the military industry: just look at Snecma-Safran, " jewel of French 
industry "for aviation, to see how the government and employers have class interests to 
prevent any industrial restructuring. Hence the interest of the organization of the self 
Fair in 2012 - and in 2013 - on the question of the recovery of production choices.

Finally, it is not enough to produce " pretty green cars "for successful industrial 
restructuring as we bring and defend. The issue of industrial restructuring can not be 
overlooked in a libertarian communist project, and should serve as red wire for lasting 
change in society. There is therefore no question of conversion summarize industrial 
capitalism greener, cleaner or just less productivist. This is the role that an 
organization like Libertarian Alternative to play, taking into account all sectors of 
industrial conversion, without diverting from its original purpose and revolutionary.

Robert K (AL Montreuil)